Google is going to start rolling out a new feature on its Pixel lineup that will provide local contact info for emergency services – useful if you’re somewhere far from home.
Brought to our attention by 9to5Google, the Fast Emergency Dialer feature will show options relevant to your location. While it’s designed for international travel, you can access the contact information for police, fire and medical services in any location.
According to Google, Pixel users can quickly dial emergency services, even when their phone is locked – it can be found via the lock screen and the emergency menu. From a lock screen, swiping up will then allow users to tap Emergency call. For those on Pixel 5 and earlier, activating Fast Emergency Dialer can be done via a long press on the power button (5 seconds should do it) and for those using Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, pressing the Power button and the Volume up button at the same time will bring up the feature.
Fast Emergency Dialer features:
- Quick access: To call an emergency number with one action, use the slider.
- Automatic emergency numbers: Your phone finds emergency numbers automatically, even when you travel.
- Multiple emergency numbers: Your phone finds available numbers for your area, like Police, Fire, or medical services. Use the slider for the emergency service you need.
Fast Emergency Dialer isn’t available in all regions or areas. Your carrier and other circumstances can limit this and its availability, even in covered areas, Google says. When the feature isn’t available, your phone automatically uses an existing emergency dialler, which basically shows a dial pad that you can use to dial emergency numbers.